The invention relates to a method of producing impregnated reinforcing threads made of high-performance fibers, in particular of glass, carbon and aramid fibers.
Reinforcing threads manufactured according to the previously known methods of this type have the disadvantage that their degree of impregnation and thus their cross section as well are not constant over the entire running length the result of which is irregularities as far as loadability is concerned.
The object of the present invention consists in avoiding in particular the abovementioned disadvantages in the manufacture of reinforcing threads.
According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the threads are impregnated, in polymer dip with 0 twist or with a protective twist of xe2x89xa6120 revolutions/m, in that the impregnated threads are then drawn through a nozzle, in that they are subsequently provided with a twist up to 400 rev/m in a heating zone and fixed at this twist by heating, and in that the above method steps are carried out in one continuous run.
The in any case low twist of the threads during the impregnation process makes it possible for the polymer to come closer to the individual fibers and envelop them protectively. In the following nozzle, the thread cross section constituted by raw fibers and polymer is accurately specified. As the cross section of the thread introduced is at the same time known in advance, the quantity of polymer borne by the thread after passing through the nozzle is also defined in this way. The cavities becoming free in the thread on account of evaporation during the drying processes are closed in the second heating zone by the twist applied to the thread there, so that, after fixing, a compact, highly loadable thread with a homogeneous distribution of the polymer in the thread cross section is produced. The continuous operation of the method leads in particular to time, and thus also costs, being saved. Over and above this, moisture and temperature can be controlled accurately over the thread length in this method. Deformations, which can otherwise occur in the event of intermediate storage, are entirely excluded in this method.
According to the invention, it is also proposed that the moisture content of the threads is adjusted constantly to a specific value at least before entering the second heating zone. As a result, the constancy of the thread quality over the thread length is further increased.
According to the invention, it is also proposed that the impregnated threads are dried superficially in a first heating zone after leaving the nozzle, but are still kept moist in the core, and that they are only subsequently provided with a twist up to 400 rev/m in a second heating zone and fixed at this twist by heating.
According to the invention, it is also proposed that the threads are reeled after fixing. They can then go forward to further production operations.
It has proved expedient if the threads undergo final drying during reeling.
The threads manufactured according to the method are especially suitable for reinforcing driving belts and high-pressure hoses above all on account of their high fatigue strength under reversed bending stress. Wovens and scrims, which can in turn be used for reinforcing tires and conveyor belts, can be manufactured from these threads. Over and above this, the threads manufactured thus can be used for many other applications.